OK, I woke up this morning apparently in a sappy mood and I just wanted to say how much I love all my online friends!!

((((Hugs to you all))))

And now that I’ve hopefully made you feel all warm and fuzzy, I’m going to make you jealous with NYC pics.

Penn Station (where we take the train to) is pretty much right across the street from Macy’s, so as soon as we exited the train station we were bombarded by Holiday cheer.

Did you all watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade? See, I was there and I stepped on the big star in Harald Square! Of course I only stood on the very edge. Otherwise I would’ve gotten hit by a taxi.

This was really the only good picture anyone got of a Macy’s window. It was a story of the elves Twinkle and Sparkle or something like that. I didn’t see very well. I’m short.

We didn’t get any good pictures but all the windows on 34th St had the story of Miracle on 34th Street.

We had to go back past Macy’s when we left so were able to see it at night, too.

I’ll share more pictures over the next few days, too. Actually it’s good that I have so many pictures to share because my brain seems to have turned to mush.

But the weekend is coming soon…Wahoo!!

Once a year heaven arrives in my local grocery store and it comes in a cardboard carton.

Christmas is the time of peppermint ice cream.

I looked for it when I did my Thanksgiving shopping, but couldn’t find it. Luckily we decided to make some more food though andn went to the grocery store Wednesday before Thanksgiving.

I admit it, I let out a shreik of glee when I saw the peppermint ice cream.

It goes perfectly with homemade apple pie.

Of course, something else that goes well with pie is more pie.

What’s your favorite indulgence this time of year? It doesn’t have to be food, but well, my indulgences are always food! Have you ever had the yummy perfection that is peppermint ice cream?

I totally LOVED having my guests here, but man, it’s nice to have the house completely to myself this morning. And the rest of the day, I guess.

But for now, I’m playing catch-up.

I’ve got to go to the grocery store if I want to eat anything besides turkey (which beleive me, I do). And a trip to Target to see all their Xmas stuff might be in order.

I put up my tree on Sunday, decorated it last night. And I put all the rest of the inside decorations out. The problem is that I’ve never lived in a house before, so never really had a place for outside decorations before. We’re still figuring out how that’s going to work.

Anyway, today is catch-up.

And I’m sorry you’re all jealous, I did have fun. I’ll share pictures later in the week, but first I’ve got to get myself back in the swing of things.

Anybody doing anything fun this week? Have crazy to-do lists? Anything interesting to share?

Oh, and I totally forgot - the crazy halloween house - yesterday it was becoming the crazy Xmas house!! At last count there were 5 blow ups, and he was still working. Will keep you posted, and oh yeah, I’ll take pictures.

I’ve barely touched my computer since Tuesday (except to look up rather bizarre things, lol). I’m slightly feeling the withdrawl but I’m also keeping really busy and having fun with guests.

My friend was Florida was supposed to get here at midnight on Tuesday. Her plane was delayed and she didn’t get in until 2ish!! Which meant bedtime wasn’t until well after 3!

Wednesday was spent doing girly things like shopping (nothing fun, the extra Turkey day stuff) and baking (3 pies, 1 loaf of bread,1 pan of muffins, corn pudding). Another friend of ours from Manhattan came out on Wed night for pizza. It was great fun but we had another 3 o’clock bedtime.

I’m to old for that!

Thursday I got up bright and early to watch the parade (of which I ended up watching about 5 minutes). We put the turkey in and started making all the side dishes. Unfortunately, the turkey ended up being ready 2 hours before I’d planned which meant a last minute rush to get everything else on the table.

But dinner was yummy and I have fridge (and garage) full of leftovers.

Yesterday we went into the city. It was the mad amounts of people that I’d thought, but it was still fun. At some point I’ll try to post pictures but I’m the only one up right now which is why I have computer time, but I hear people stirring.

We saw Macy’s all decorated for the holidays, including the windows. We walked up 5th avenue where we also saw the Saks windows and my friend bought a necklace at Tiffany’s. We strolled a little bit through central park and then made our way back down Broadway because we had tickets to a matinee of The Producers. It was good, but I think it probably would have been HILARIOUS with Matthew Broaderick and Nathan Lane.

After that we made our way to Rockefellar center. The Xmas tree was up, but it doesn’t actually get lit until Wednesday. Still, it was cool. HUGE. I’ve seen the tree there before and I don’t remember it being nearly that big. We got to the overlook of the skating rink just as some guy was down there proposing to his girlfriend. As the lady next to me said, it was a “real New York moment.”

Saks (fifth avenue) has a bunch of snowflakes on the facade of the building and at night they ‘dance’ to Xmas music. We found that as a happy accident.

We walked towards Grand Central Station (which was eerily empty considering the only other time I’ve been there it’s been wall to wall people) and ate dinner at some Mexican restaurant. Then we got Juniors Cheesecake for the train ride home (though we didn’t actually eat it until we got home).

Before we got on the train, we did a run through Macy’s and saw Santa (but only through a window). Still, we saw THE Macy’s Santa (which everyone who’s seen Miracle on 34th Street KNOWS is the REAL Santa).

Anyway, like I said, I was the first one to stir this morning and I’m writing this as much to remember events myself as to tell people.

This morning we’re going to be driving around Long Island. Should be fun. I think we’re really going to make it to the Hamptons today (I know I’ve said that several times already). Tomorrow I’m HOPING the Xmas fairy comes to put up my decorations.

What plans does everyone have for the weekend? Anyone doing anything fun? Tell me about your Thanksgiving? Any turkey day disasters or hits?

I probably won’t be back online until late Monday so have a great one!

Stole this from Sela

You’re Lolita!
by Vladimir Nabokov
Considered by most to be depraved and immoral, you are obsessed with
sex. What really tantalizes you is that which deviates from societal standards in every
way, though you admit that this probably isn’t the best and you’re not sure what causes
this desire. Nonetheless, you’ve done some pretty nefarious things in your life, and
probably gotten caught for them. The names have been changed, but the problems are real.
Please stay away from children.

Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

May you all end the day as stuffed as your turkeys!

November that is. And even more importantly, the stuff I have to do in November.

Today I’m off to Starbucks to hopefully (probably not) finish revisons for my novella due the end of the month. And then, one more email and that’s it!!

Then all of my goals for November will have been accomplished.

Well, except for the guests, Thanksgiving dinner, putting up the Xmas decorations…

Ok, maybe it’s not close to being over.

Anyway…how do you look at and organize your goals?

Me, I tend to go by month (obviously). It’s a long enough period of time that I don’t feel too incredibly stressed, and then if necessary it has several different ways to break it down time wise (week, day, weekend, etc).

It works for me.

And then I have one HUGE masterlist for all I have to get accomplished that month. And as I do it all, I write it down on my desk calendar and check it off.

(I’m also a bit of a nerd and like to try to track my productivity. Tuesday and Thursdays are usually my best days with a huge spike in accomplishments if I go to Starbucks).

What about you? How do you keep yourself organized and on track?

UPDATE: I haven’t seen it with my own two eyes yet, but according to the hubster, the crazy Halloween house now has a giant blow up turkey!

Hey all! It’s been a few days…I hardly recognize the place.

Like I thought, November has turned into super crazy month for me, but I’m handling it all in stride. I’m actually quite surprised at how well i’m handling everything I have to do. It’s very much not like me, lol.

Anyway, last I saw you, I’d finished NaNo, going 11 words over 50,000. That’s still where I sit.

I did…other stuff…Friday (no, I don’t remember what exactly it was but I’m sure it was important).

Oh yeah, I did all my Turkey shopping and now have a full fridge. Though tonight we will be scavanging for food because I forgot to buy anything else that wasn’t for Thanksgiving. Oops.

Saturday we went bargain shopping, lol. We looked at (fake) Xmas trees at Kmart. Then actually bought one at Big Lots (don’t get me started on my love of Big Lots). It’s 6 1/2 feet gall and prelit. It’s a little skinny for my liking, but all the ones that were appropriate heights seemed extra skinny.

I’m hoping to have it up by next weekend.

Yesterday was a lazy Sunday. We didn’t leave the house except to get the paper and sweep the porch. I did a lot of reading for a contest and my house is now ready for guests.

Bring ‘em on (they arrive tomorrow).

So, what’d everybody else do this weekend?

…is at Word Flirts.

I’m talking about holiday stress. Wouldn’t it be nice to just talk about the stress and not actually feel it?

Yep, I hit 50,000 words at about 8:15 last night.

Color me happy (though I’d love to keep working on this story rather than the edits I have to do).

In other news…I’m blogging over at SEx today.